“Uncharted territory” for bears and people

With a third drought in a row, Mammoth Wildlife Officer Steve Searles describes the current conditions as more like August than June, in terms of dryness and lack of natural food for the bears. Searles called it “uncharted territory.” He’s concerned for the bears and the community.

Earlier, Searles had made it clear that he would hand out citations this year to those whose practices invite bears to eat garbage. He has issued some citations to local businesses and an apartment complex. He said they responded well. Searles said 95% of the community does the right thing for the bears. It’s just a few, he said, who sometimes don’t. Said Searles, “I want to work with them, but if we can’t fix the problem, Judge Eller will.”

On the drought, Searles said he hasn’t seen it exactly like this before. He said when he went to the Lakes Basin ten days ago, there was no forage for the bears. Now, dandelions have come in. That gives them something to eat. Searles said it’s hard to know how the plants are going to respond to this third dry season, and that’s what the bears normally eat.

If bears don’t have forage, they go for human food. They have to survive. Searles said bears are all over the place now. He said in the last three days, he had to respond to three bears who had gone into homes. Although he has not been as tough as Tahoe on recommending locking up doors and windows and quickly hauling garbage away, this year, he said, he will buy into those kind of guidelines.

Searles said already he dealt with a situation in which someone had left a truckload of smelly garbage in a garage and left town. A mother bear pushed on one of the panels and got into the garage. Searles said this kind of thing can’t happen. He said, “We have to live the right lifestyle or bears could be killed.”

To appreciate some of Mammoth’s local bears, go to Steve Searles Facebook page or YouTube.com/BearWhispererSearles.

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About Benett Kessler

Always interested in writing, Benett was the editor of her high school paper, proceeded to the University of Chicago and then out West where she and John Heston formed Eastern Sierra News Service in Inyo County. They fed film to KNXT in Los Angeles and co-wrote and produced the first daily radio news in the Eastern Sierra. Their work ranged from a published news magazine to the first television newscast. They continued to provide videotaped news to KABC and other news outlets. After a seat on the Mammoth Times board and work as newswriter, Benett formed her own company, Sierra Broadcasters and launched an FM radio station, now KSRW and a broadcast television station, KSRW-TV33. The latest addition - Sierrawave.net. Her company motto: Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable.

One Response to “Uncharted territory” for bears and people

The ongoing drought is tough on wildlife, no doubt. But we, as Mammoth residents, must continue to not provide bears with sources of human food. It amazes me that some folks are still not conscientious enough to lock their dumpsters, after years of public education programs throughout town. A dumpster is only as secure as the last person to use it!

On the other hand, the bears have become a major tourist attraction, and a sighting has become the highlight of many who visit here, making their vacation a memorable one!